Shadow Slave

Usually, it would have taken Kai a lot longer to fly across the city to reach the tranquil terrace district… not that he would have. But today, the famous idol neglected his habit of staying low and out of sight. It seemed that his speed increased tremendously, as well, because ten minutes later, he was already at Sunny's door.

Maybe because of that, there was no crowd of paparazzi following him.

As they waited for Cassie, Effie rummaged through the empty refrigerator, then walked away from it with a disappointed sigh.

"There's no food!"

Sunny, who was evaluating the damage the boisterous huntress had done to the guest bedroom, glanced at her darkly.

"We've been gone for months. What did you expect?"

Effie made a sad face, then shrugged.

"But I'm hungry!"

Sunny let out an exasperated breath.

"...I have some synthpaste, if you want."

She shuddered and opened her mouth to retort, but at that moment, there was a knock on the door. If not for the haughty shadow standing guard outside — reluctantly, of course, since mundane tasks such as this were grossly beneath it — Sunny would have tensed up.

However, he already knew that it was Cassie.

The blind girl walked inside, froze for a moment, then raised a deliciously smelling package.

"...I brought food."

a quick glance at Kai

has some

at the archer for

becoming a Master, his looks assumed an almost hypnotizing quality. It was

different degree. After studying Kai and Cassie for a bit, Sunny couldn't help but shake his head ruefully, a stunned expression on his face. He finally understood why Master Jet had called herself average when they first met, at least as far

it felt wrong to put the word average in one sentence with someone like her. Jet possessed an intangible quality that no one he had ever met was able to match. The four of them were Masters too, now, but

And Sunny himself?

considered a flower boy, as Soul Reaper had once predicted, but even he couldn't call himself

only to Sunny himself, golden threads of

the table and shared a silent

the fact that they should have been exhilarated by their triumph over the Nightmare, none of the four seemed too joyous…

free, however, just felt… hurt, tired,

wounds dealt to their souls cut.

on the Ivory City… all of it was slowly coming back to haunt

their share of demons

a cup of tea, looked at Sunny, and asked with

remember much after being swallowed

at the

were swallowed by the

Kai smiled with embarrassment:

sort of… jumped into his mouth. Because I didn't know how else

blinked a few times, but didn't say anything. She even forgot about her

down,

not trust anyone with the knives, I think. After you

grew quiet for a few moments, and then